Electrical connector for terminating aluminum foil



April 19, 1966 E. A. WEIMER, JR 3,247,316

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR FOR TERMINATING ALUMINUM FOIL Filed April 22, 1964fwa 1N VENTOR. EDGHR ARTHUR \JEmgzJm.

United States Patent O M 3,247,316 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR FOR TERMINATINGALUMINUM FOIL Edgar Arthur Weimer, .lr., Harrisburg, Pa., assignor toAMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. Filed Apr. 22, 196 Ser. No. 361,853 5Claims. (Cl. 1'74-94) This application constitutes acontinuation-in-part of my previous applications, Serial No. 857,158,filed December 3, 1959, now abandoned, and Serial No. 141,166, filedSeptember 27, 1961, now Patent No. 3,138,658.

The extensive use of conductive foil or very thin sheet metal members(e.g., aluminum) as an electrical condu c'tor for electronic andminiature components is complicated by the fact that it is difiicult tojoin the foil to other electrical conductors. Because of the fragilenature of the foil, securing the foil to a wire or component tends toeither tear the foil or to make an imperfect connection. It is an objectof this invention to provide an electrical connector capable of beingsecured to conductive foil, or the like, which provides an electricalconnection, is easily applied and has high tensile strength andexcellent properties of electrical conductivity.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an electricalconnecting device adapted to be secured to aluminum foil by wrapping itaround the foil and pressing it into the foil.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an electricalconnecting device adapted to be secured to aluminum foil by wrapping orfolding it over the foil and clamping it thereto so that tangs on onearea of the device pierce the foil.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a terminatingmeans for sheet metal or metal foil, such as, for example, copper,aluminum, alloys thereof, or the like, which comprises a terminal havingon one side lance means having a plurality of points and on the otherside in opposition to the lance means, a one-point tab or lance member.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the followingdetailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings inwhich there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of theinvention; it is to be understood, however, that this embodiment is notintended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but is given forpurposes of illustration in order that others skilled in the art mayfully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the mannerof applying it in practical use so that they may modify it in variousforms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view similar to FIGURE 12 showing theconnector applied to a sheet of metal; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along lines 1414 ofFIGURE 2.

Turning now to FIGURES 1-3, there is shown an embodiment of the presentinvention. In this embodiment, connector 400 comprises two opposed legsor plates 401 and 402 connected together at one end. Each leg includesrows of perforations 403. Every other perforation in each row has aplurality of sharp lances or tangs 404 for-med therearound which aresubstantially of V-shaped configuration and extend outwardly from theleg in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of theperforation. Each of the remaining perforations in each row has a singlesharp lance or tang 405 of 3,247,316 Patented Apr. 19, 1966 ICC similarconfiguration as those of lances 404 extending outwardly from the leg ina direction substantially parallel to the axis of the perforation.

As can be discerned from FIGURE 1, the lances on one leg extend towardthe lances on the other leg and the perforations containing lances 404are oppositely disposed with respect to the perforations containinglances 405. While it is desirable that the apertures in each leg beoppositely disposed, in some cases they will be slightly out ofalignment; but, upon application to a conductive member, they will comeinto alignment. When forming lances 405, it is desirable, whereapplicable, that they be diagonal with respect to the opposingperforations containing lances 404. While only two rows of lancedperforations have been shown in each leg of the connector, it is obviousthat one or more rows may be provided in each leg, a single perforationof either kind in one leg may be diametrically disposed with respect tothe other kind of perforation in the other leg, or the perforations ineach leg may be staggered with respect to each other so long as theperforations containing lances 404 in one leg are opposite the otherperforations containing lances 405 in the other leg. Other arrangementscan obviously be visualized; however, description thereof would besuperfluous.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, one end of legs 401 and 402 are connectedtogether While the other ends are free. A ferrule member 406 extendsoutwardly from the connected ends and is afiixed to the wire section ofan electrical conductor means 407 as, for example, by crimping, welding,soldering, etc. Of course, an electrical conductor means may be securedto the connector in the manner shown in FIGURES 8 or 9 in theaforementioned patent or in any other suitable manner. Additionally,connector 400 may take the forms illustrated in FIGURES 2, 4, 8 and 9 inthe aforementioned patent.

The connector may be made from any desirable material, such as, copper,brass, steel, bronze, etc., and the type of metal or alloy thereof willdepend primarily on its use and the purposes of conductivity. Platingthe connect-or may also be desirable. This embodiment may be aflixed toa conductive member 408 which not only may be metallic foil but alsosheet metal up to any workable thickness, and the size and hardness ofthe connector will be proportional to that of the material to which itis to be attached. It should be pointed out that the foil or sheet metalmay be coated with insulating material which need not be removed uponthe connector being applied to the conductive member. This is also truewith respect to the other embodiments.

In assembly, conductive member 408 is placed between legs 401 and 402,pressure is applied to the outer surface of each leg as, for example, bymeans of opposing anvils, whereupon the perforations containing lances404 provide a punch relief area so that opposing lances 405 easily punchthrough the conductive member. Upon the legs being pressed into tightengagement with the conductive member, lances 405 engage one of theanvils and become flattened in rivet-like manner, while lances 404pierce, scrape and become embedded into or impaled upon the conductivemember because the inner surface of the leg adjacent lances 405 acts asan anvil to cause these lances to bend back toward their respective leg.FIGURE 3 illustrates the foregoing which shows the disposition of lances404 and 405 and thereby provides a riveted and, therefore, interlockedconnection or termination.

With respect to the embodiment of FIGURES 1-3, the aggregate number oflances provides a strong connection between the connector and conductivemember. During the terminating process, the lances pierce and foregoingdescription and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustrationonly. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined in thefollowing claims when viewed in their proper perspective against 'theprior art.

What' is claimed is:

1. An electrical connection comprising leg members having opposedsurfaces, each leg member having at least one aperture, the apertures ineach leg being in op position, each aperture having lance means thereatand extending toward each other, said leg members being pressed intoengagement with a sheet of conductive material with the lance means ofone aperture piercing said sheet and extending through the otheraperture, the lance means of the other aperture scraping and piercingthe sheet and being bent back toward the respective leg member thereofupon engagement with the inner surface of .theopposingleg member, theend of thelance means extending through the other aperture being bluntedto rivet the leg members in mechanical and electrical engagement withsaid sheet of conductive material.

An electrical connection between a connector and a sheet of conductivemeans comprising leg means having opposing surfaces, each of saidsurfaces having a plurality of aperturees, the apertures in onesurfacebeing disposed substantially opposite to the apertures in theother surface, lance means located adjacent each aperture and extendingtoward each other, said leg means being pressed into engagement withsaid sheet of conductive means with some of the lance means of each ofsaid leg means piercing said sheetof conductive means and extendingthrough the apertures in opposition thereto while the lance means ofthese opposition apertures scrape and pierce the sheet of conductivemeans, and arebent back toward the respective leg means thereof uponengagement with the inner surface of the opposing leg means, the ends ofthe A lance means extending through the opposition apertures beingblunted to rivet the leg means invmechanical and ele'crical engagementwith said sheet, of conductive means.

3. As an article of manufacture, an electrical connector for makingelectrical connection with a sheet of conductive means comprising platemeans each provided with at least one aperture, the aperture in oneplate means being oppositely disposed with respect tothe aperture in theother plate means, lance means projecting from each plate means towardeach other, said lance means being disposed adjacent the periphery ofeach of the apertures, said lance means of one plate means being asingle lance means and being adapted to penetrate said sheet ofconductive means, extend through the opposing aperture and be blunted torivet said plate means together while the lance means of the other platemeans include a plurality of lance means which are adapted to be bentaway from the aperture thereof to grasp the sheet of conductive means inelectrically conductive relationship between the plate means.

4. As an article of manufacture, an electrical connector for makingelectrical connection with a sheet of conductive means comprising platemeans each provided with a plurality of apertures, the apertures in oneplate means being oppositely disposed with respect to the apertures inthe other plate means, lance means projecting from each plate meanstoward eachother, said lance-means being dispose-d adjacent theperiphery of each of said apertures, some of the lance means on theplate means being a single lance means and beingv adapted to penetratesaid sheet of conductive means, extend through the opposing aperturesand be blunted to rivet said plate means together while the othercomplementary lance means include a plurality of lance means which areadapted to be bent away from the apertures thereof to grasp said sheetof conductive means in electrically conductive relationship between theOpposing plate means. I

5. An electrical connector according to claim 3 wherein said singlelance means is diagonallydisposed with respect to the opposing aperturehaving a substantially rectangular configuration.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/ 1946 GreatBritain.

JOHN F. BURNS, Primary Examiner. DARRELL CLAY, Examiner. Y

3. AS AN ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE, AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR FOR MAKINGELECTRICAL CONNECTION WITH A SHEET OF CONDUCTIVE MEANS COMPRISING PLATEMEANS EACH PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE APERTURE, THE APERTURE IN ONEPLATE MEANS BEING OPPOSITELY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO THE APERTURE INTHE OTHER PLATE MEANS, LANCE MEANS PROJECTING FROM EACH PLATE MEANSTOWARD EACH OTHER, SAID LANCE MEANS BEING DISPOSED ADJACENT THEPERIPHERY OF EACH OF THE APERTURES, SAID LANCE MEANS OF ONE PLATE MEANSBEING A SINGLE LANCE MEANS AND BEING ADAPTED TO PENETRATE SAID SHEET OFCONDUCTIVE MEANS, EXTEND THROUGH THE OPPOSING APERTURE AND BE BLUNTED TORIVET SAID PLATE MEANS TOGETHER WHILE THE LANCE MEANS OF THE OTHER PLATEMEANS INCLUDE A PLURALITY OF LANCE MEANS WHICH ARE ADAPTED TO BE BENTAWAY FROM THE APERTURE THEREOF TO GRASP THE SHEET OF CONDUCTIVE MEANS INELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE PLATE MEANS.